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'
Don't you know,' said Miss Monflathers, 'that it's very naughty and
unfeminine, and a perversion of the properties wisely and benignantly
transmitted to us, with expansive powers to be roused from their
dormant state through the medium of cultivation?'
The two teachers murmured their respectful approval of this home-
thrust, and looked at Nell as though they would have said that there
indeed Miss Monflathers had hit her very hard. Then they smiled and
glanced at Miss Monflathers, and then, their eyes meeting, they
exchanged looks which plainly said that each considered herself
smiler in ordinary to Miss Monflathers, and regarded the other as
having no right to smile, and that her so doing was an act of
presumption and impertinence.
'
'
Don't you feel how naughty it is of you,' resumed Miss Monflathers,
to be a wax-work child, when you might have the proud
consciousness of assisting, to the extent of your infant powers, the
manufactures of your country; of improving your mind by the
constant contemplation of the steam-engine; and of earning a
comfortable and independent subsistence of from two-and-ninepence
to three shillings per week? Don't you know that the harder you are at
work, the happier you are?'
'
‘How doth the little - ’' murmured one of the teachers, in quotation
from Doctor Watts.
'Eh?' said Miss Monflathers, turning smartly round. 'Who said that?'
Of course the teacher who had not said it, indicated the rival who had,
whom Miss Monflathers frowningly requested to hold her peace; by
that means throwing the informing teacher into raptures of joy.
'The little busy bee,' said Miss Monflathers, drawing herself up, 'is
applicable only to genteel children.
‘In books, or work, or healthful play’
is quite right as far as they are concerned; and the work means
painting on velvet, fancy needle-work, or embroidery. In such cases as
these,' pointing to Nell, with her parasol, 'and in the case of all poor
people's children, we should read it thus:
‘In work, work, work. In work alway Let my first years be past, That I
may give for ev'ry day Some good account at last.’'
A deep hum of applause rose not only from the two teachers, but from
all the pupils, who were equally astonished to hear Miss Monflathers
improvising after this brilliant style; for although she had been long
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